On Filipino Social Stigma: Mental Health is not "gawa-gawa lang" (not just fiction).

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Mental health: Not “gawa-gawa lang” | Photo Credit: Heraldo Filipino


Every year, approximately 800,000 people worldwide commit suicide. That equates to one person every 40 seconds. Can you picture it? According to DOH, the Philippines has a suicide rate of 25.7% from 2019 to 2020. It is steadily rising, especially during this pandemic. Despite Filipinos labeled as one of the happiest people, we are not immune to it. We may have the brightest smiles and resiliency to face the adversities such as typhoons and the pandemic. Facts point out that more than 3 million Filipinos suffer from depression, with an almost equal number suffering from anxiety.

To start, let me ask: How are you? How are you doing? I hope things are going well for you! I want you to take advantage of this opportunity to relax and find a comfortable place to read this blog. All will be perfect! Historically, many people, especially in the Philippines, undervalued their mental health. It is a taboo subject for Filipinos to explore. Few people are courageous enough to open up about their mental health to others. It is because of the stigma attached to mental illness in our society. Filipinos are afraid to open up to people. It is because they could dismiss and invalidate their feelings by saying things like "Pabebe lang yan, kaya yan ganyan," or "Kulang lang yan sa pansin."

I believe that we Filipinos should not be afraid or embarrassed to share our experiences with mental health. We need a culture that accepts people with mental illnesses rather than mocks them. We need to educate young people so that mental disorders are no longer stigmatized. We must be mindful of our own and others' mental health before a tragedy occurs.

Our mental health refers to our cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It all comes down to how we think, feel, and act. Our mental health can affect how we live our lives, our relationships, and our physical health. It is the same how our daily lives, relationships, and bodies affect our mental health. If your mental state is suffering, it can change how you communicate with others, how you get about, how you understand situations, and so on. The same thing happens when we are unhappy in our relationships, or when we lose loved ones or friends.

if you lose a lot of money if you get sick, and so on. No matter how horrific the incident is, it will still lead to a deterioration in your mental health. As a result, taking care of one's mental wellbeing will help to preserve one's capacity to experience life. This will allow you to strike a balance between your daily lives, duties, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Stress, depression, and anxiety will both affect your mental health and hinder your everyday life.


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Pandemic fatigue and mental health issues is hitting people hard | Photo Credit: Esquire PH


I believe you have previously read about Mental Health several times before coming to this page, and I am confident that you are now familiar with it. Many people, however, continue to conflate mental wellness with mental illness. Take notice that Mental Health and Mental Illness are not the same thing. Let's take a quick look at this. Mental health is a condition of well-being in which an individual recognizes his or her strengths, can manage with the usual demands of life, can work productively, and can contribute to his or her community, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In contrast, We refer mental illness to a variety of mental health diseases, which are problems that impact your emotions, thinking, and behavior. Depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors are examples of mental illnesses.

To explain further, I will tell a story since I believe it is easier to understand this through a tale. Imagine you've been a singer since you were in elementary school and you're now in your late 30s and you're still singing, competing in singing contests here and there, and so on. However, you were involved in an accident in which you lost your singing voice, and your voice became hoarse to the point where you are no longer able to sing. As a result, you got increasingly irritated and unhappy, your diet deteriorated, you spent less time with friends and family, and you became short-tempered.


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We need to talk about Mental Health. | Photo Credit: CNN


This account contains the fact that you do not fit under any diagnostic of a mental disease, but you do require assistance in coping with your changing living situations. As a result, you have poor mental health but no mental disorder. Do you understand it now?T he unfortunate fact about mental health is that it affects everyone. Everyone, regardless of age, gender, income, or ethnicity, is at risk of acquiring a mental health issue. Even Robin Williams, an American comedian and actor famed for his wild stand-up routines and eclectic cinematic roles, committed suicide. Can you picture it? Even the happiest people we know are not immune to this Mental Illness. Even we are not immune to danger.

This is for everyone; if you have a friend or someone who has recently been depressed or down, confused, excessive worries, anxiety attacks, suicide thoughts, or any of the other symptoms listed above, they require assistance. They require your assistance. We require your assistance. We need you to be there for the person and provide emotional support. Finally, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, realize that you are not alone on this dark path.

If you feel like there is nowhere to turn, no source of happiness, and everything is simply black, I'd like to assure you that you are not alone. No matter how many people tell you this or how cliché it seems, it is one of the most accurate things I can say to you. I know you can get through this; you are strong, and this is just a temporary setback.

You are deserving of so much more than what you are experiencing right now. Maintain your strength in the struggle because you are not alone. I'd also like to advise you to get expert assistance. They are quite beneficial. Now, my favor is please do the same to your friends or someone, even if you don’t know the person, help them. In this imperfect world, it is free to be nice, so be nice to everyone.


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Mental Healt is more than simple anxiety | Phot Credit: Jasrelle Serrano


Taon-taon, tinatayang 800,000 katao sa buong mundo ang nagpakamatay. Katumbas iyon sa isang tao bawat 40 segundo. Maaari mo bang larawan ito? Ayon sa DOH, ang Pilipinas ay mayroong rate ng pagpapakamatay na 25.7% mula 2019 hanggang 2020. Patuloy itong tumataas, lalo na sa panahon ng pandemikong ito. Sa kabila ng mga Pilipinong may label na isa sa pinakamasayang tao, hindi kami naiiwas dito. Maaari tayong magkaroon ng pinakamaliwanag na ngiti at katatagan upang harapin ang mga kahirapan tulad ng bagyo at pandemya. Tinukoy ng mga katotohanan na higit sa 3 milyong mga Pilipino ang nagdurusa mula sa pagkalumbay, na may halos pantay na bilang na dumaranas ng pagkabalisa.

Upang magsimula, hayaan mo akong magtanong: Kumusta ka? Kamusta ka na Inaasahan kong maayos ang kalagayan para sa iyo! Nais kong samantalahin ang pagkakataong ito upang makapagpahinga at maghanap ng komportableng lugar upang mabasa ang blog na ito. Ang lahat ay magiging perpekto! Sa kasaysayan, maraming tao, lalo na sa Pilipinas, ang hindi pinahalagahan ang kanilang kalusugan sa pag-iisip. Ito ay isang bawal na paksa para tuklasin ng mga Pilipino. Ilang mga tao ang may sapat na lakas ng loob upang magbukas tungkol sa kanilang kalusugan sa isip sa iba. Dahil ito sa stigma na nakakabit sa sakit sa pag-iisip sa ating lipunan. Natatakot ang mga Pilipino na magbukas sa mga tao. Ito ay dahil maaari nilang i-dismiss at i-invalidate ang kanilang nararamdaman sa pamamagitan ng pagsabi ng mga bagay tulad ng "Pabebe lang yan, kaya yan ganyan," o "Kulang lang yan sa pansin."

Naniniwala ako na tayong mga Pilipino ay hindi dapat matakot o mapahiya upang ibahagi ang ating mga karanasan sa kalusugang pangkaisipan. Kailangan namin ng isang kultura na tumatanggap ng mga taong may sakit sa pag-iisip kaysa sa manunuya sa kanila. Kailangan nating turuan ang mga kabataan upang ang mga karamdaman sa pag-iisip ay hindi na mabibigyan ng stigmatized. Dapat nating alalahanin ang kalusugan ng ating sarili at ang iba bago maganap ang isang trahedya.

Ang aming kalusugan sa isip ay tumutukoy sa aming nagbibigay-malay, pag-uugali, at emosyonal na kagalingan. Ang lahat ay darating sa kung paano tayo nag-iisip, nararamdaman, at kumikilos. Ang ating kalusugan sa pag-iisip ay maaaring makaapekto sa kung paano natin nabubuhay ang ating buhay, ating mga ugnayan, at ating pisikal na kalusugan. Ito ay pareho kung paano nakakaapekto ang ating pang-araw-araw na buhay, relasyon, at katawan sa ating kalusugan sa isip. Kung ang iyong estado sa pag-iisip ay nagdurusa, maaari nitong mabago kung paano ka nakikipag-usap sa iba, kung paano ka makarating, paano mo naiintindihan ang mga sitwasyon, at iba pa. Ang parehong bagay ay nangyayari kapag hindi tayo nasisiyahan sa ating mga relasyon, o kapag nawala ang ating mga mahal sa buhay o kaibigan.

kung mawalan ka ng maraming pera kung nagkakasakit ka, at iba pa. Hindi mahalaga kung gaano kakila-kilabot ang insidente, hahantong pa rin ito sa pagkasira ng iyong kalusugan sa isip. Bilang isang resulta, ang pangangalaga sa kabutihan ng kaisipan ay makakatulong upang mapanatili ang kakayahan ng isang tao na maranasan ang buhay. Papayagan ka nitong makagawa ng balanse sa pagitan ng iyong pang-araw-araw na buhay, tungkulin, at pagsisikap upang makamit ang katatagan ng sikolohikal. Ang stress, depression, at pagkabalisa ay pareho makakaapekto sa iyong kalusugan sa pag-iisip at hadlangan ang iyong pang-araw-araw na buhay.


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Mental Healt is not a joke or just fiction | Photo Credit: CNN


Naniniwala akong nabasa mo na dati ang tungkol sa Kalusugan sa Isip nang maraming beses bago pumunta sa pahinang ito, at tiwala ako na pamilyar ka na rito. Gayunpaman, maraming mga tao ang patuloy na pinagtutuunan ang kabutihan ng kaisipan sa sakit sa isip. Pansinin na ang Mental Health at Mental Illness ay hindi pareho. Tingnan natin ito nang mabilis. Ang kalusugang pangkaisipan ay isang kalagayan ng kagalingan kung saan kinikilala ng isang indibidwal ang kanyang kalakasan, maaaring mapamahalaan kasama ng karaniwang mga hinihingi sa buhay, maaaring gumana nang produktibo, at maaaring magbigay ng kontribusyon sa kanyang pamayanan, ayon sa World Health Organization (WHO) . Sa kaibahan, Tinutukoy namin ang sakit sa isip sa iba't ibang mga sakit sa kalusugan ng isip, na mga problema na nakakaapekto sa iyong emosyon, pag-iisip, at pag-uugali. Ang pagkalungkot, mga karamdaman sa pagkabalisa, schizophrenia, mga karamdaman sa pagkain, at nakakahumaling na pag-uugali ay mga halimbawa ng mga sakit sa isip.

Upang maipaliwanag pa, magkwento ako dahil naniniwala akong mas madaling maintindihan ito sa pamamagitan ng isang kwento. Isipin na ikaw ay naging isang mang-aawit mula pa noong ikaw ay nasa elementarya at ikaw ay nasa huling 30 na at kumakanta ka pa rin, nakikipagkumpitensya sa mga paligsahan sa pag-awit dito at doon, at iba pa. Gayunpaman, nasangkot ka sa isang aksidente kung saan nawala ang iyong boses sa pag-awit, at ang iyong boses ay naging namamaos hanggang sa puntong hindi ka na nakakanta. Bilang isang resulta, lalo kang nagalit at hindi nasisiyahan, lumala ang iyong diyeta, ginugol mo ang mas kaunting oras sa mga kaibigan at pamilya, at naging maikli ang ulo.

Naglalaman ang account na ito ng katotohanang hindi ka magkasya sa ilalim ng anumang diagnostic ng isang sakit sa pag-iisip, ngunit nangangailangan ka ng tulong sa pagtitiis sa iyong nagbabagong mga sitwasyon sa pamumuhay. Bilang isang resulta, mayroon kang mahinang kalusugan sa pag-iisip ngunit walang karamdaman sa pag-iisip. Naiintindihan mo ba ito ngayon? Ang kapus-palad na katotohanan tungkol sa kalusugang pangkaisipan ay nakakaapekto ito sa lahat. Ang bawat isa, anuman ang edad, kasarian, kita, o etniko, ay nasa peligro na makakuha ng isang isyu sa kalusugan ng isip. Kahit na si Robin Williams, isang komedyanteng Amerikano at artista na sikat sa kanyang ligaw na gawain sa pagtayo at mga tungkulin sa ecemectic cinematic, ay nagpakamatay. Maaari mo bang larawan ito? Kahit na ang mga pinakamasayang taong alam nating hindi nalalayo sa Mental Illness na ito. Kahit na hindi tayo immune sa panganib.


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Help is available even if you feel like you can’t be helped. | Photo Credit: Roanne


Ito ay para sa lahat; kung mayroon kang isang kaibigan o isang tao na kamakailan ay nalumbay o bumagsak, nalilito, labis na pag-aalala, pag-atake ng pagkabalisa, saloobin sa pagpapakamatay, o alinman sa iba pang mga sintomas na nakalista sa itaas, nangangailangan sila ng tulong. Kinakailangan nila ang iyong tulong. Kinakailangan namin ang iyong tulong. Kailangan namin na ikaw ay naroroon para sa tao at magbigay ng suportang pang-emosyonal. Panghuli, kung nakakaranas ka ng alinman sa mga sintomas na ito, mapagtanto na hindi ka nag-iisa sa madilim na landas na ito.

Kung sa palagay mo ay wala kahit saan upang lumiko, walang mapagkukunan ng kaligayahan, at ang lahat ay simpleng itim, nais kong tiyakin sa iyo na hindi ka nag-iisa. Hindi mahalaga kung gaano karaming mga tao ang nagsasabi sa iyo nito o kung gaano ito klise, ito ay isa sa mga pinaka tumpak na bagay na masasabi ko sa iyo. Alam kong malalagpasan mo ito; ikaw ay malakas, at ito ay isang pansamantalang pagkabalisa lamang.

Karapat-dapat ka sa higit pa kaysa sa nararanasan mo ngayon. Panatilihin ang iyong lakas sa pakikibaka dahil hindi ka nag-iisa. Gusto ko ring payuhan kang kumuha ng tulong ng dalubhasa. Ang mga ito ay lubos na kapaki-pakinabang. Ngayon, ang aking pabor ay mangyaring gawin ang pareho sa iyong mga kaibigan o sa isang tao, kahit na hindi mo kilala ang tao, tulungan mo sila. Sa di-sakdal na mundong ito, malaya itong maging mabait, kaya maging mabuti sa lahat.



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There are many signs of depression and suicidal tendencies that one can look out for. Mental health issues run rampant in our US Military Veteran community. On average 22 Veterans take their own lives PER DAY here in the USA. The number should be ZERO!
If you are feeling down in any sort of way, reach out to a loved one, a friend, or even your local minister/pastor/counselor and open up. It may not always be easy, but I promise you talking about it helps!
This is coming from someone who has been there! I have tried in the past to commit suicide. Not once, not twice, but three times. I thank the Lord every day that I FAILED!!!
Since then I have opened up about my issues. I don't bottle them inside. Bottling your issues is a recipe for utter disaster.
Ask your friends how they are doing. I mean really ask. Not everyone is as happy as they seem. Smiles sometimes hide the deepest sadness.
Keep your head up HIVE Community!! Together we can overcome!

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There are many signs of depression and suicidal tendencies that one can look out for. Mental health issues run rampant in our US Military Veteran community. On average 22 Veterans take their own lives PER DAY here in the USA. The number should be ZERO!

It maybe caused by post-war trauma. People who have seen death all over again and participated in it is hunted by such a horrifical experience. I think that psychological debriefing should be able to help them and a lot of support from their family.

This is coming from someone who has been there! I have tried in the past to commit suicide. Not once, not twice, but three times. I thank the Lord every day that I FAILED!!! Since then I have opened up about my issues. I don't bottle them inside. Bottling your issues is a recipe for utter disaster.

Thank you for sharing your story, @igysixlive. Good to hear that you opened up and not bottled it within yourself. Depression is not a joke. Mental Health issues are not a joke. It should not be a social stigma. I hope people understand that it is a concern rather than a laughing stuff.

Ask your friends how they are doing. I mean really ask. Not everyone is as happy as they seem. Smiles sometimes hide the deepest sadness.

I remember these similar words. A few year ago, I attended a 3 day workshop on counselling and spotting suicidal tendencies among students (when I was a student counsel at my university). I agree not everyone that is happy is doing well. Some are just masking their emotion in plain sight. Sharing some !LUV and !PIZZA

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I think that this day and age, a lot of us are still ignorant when it comes to the issues regarding our mental health.

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I couldn't agree more. A lot of us still look Mental Health as a laughing stuff or just fictions. Sharing some !LUV token.

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